Module Reviews

LF108 (Cell Biology of Neurons) is a 15-CATS first-year module for Neuroscience, and one of my personal favourites. It runs as 20 lectures split across five or six lecturers, plus two assessed workshops. The assessment is a 60% one-hour MCQ exam in May/June and 20% for each workshop.Content-wise it moves through three rough blocks. First, how the nervous system gets built: neural tube formation, cell differentiation and migration, neuronal polarisation, axon guidance, synapse formation and critical periods. Then it focuses on key processes so bioenergetics, repair and regeneration, neurogenesis and stem cells. Finally, a long run through sensory systems: invertebrate escape behaviour, touch, temperature and pain, olfaction, taste, electrosensing and magnetosensing.The workshops are a highlight. The second workshop is a proper hands-on electrophysiology where you take a leg off a live cockroach with a scalpel, pin it out, insert electrodes and record action potentials. This is done while poking the spines with forceps, a brush or other instruments to see how this affects the action potentials produced. This was easily the most interesting content I had to revise. It's complicated at first but it does click with time. My favourite lectures were about critical periods featuring the experiment of monocular deprivation on kittens as well as time and space perception.My key advice for this module is to firstly go to your lectures, even the 9am ones. It does make a big difference in understanding content. Really make sure you can recall the content well. Flashcards or getting Claude to quiz you works well and be sure to start this early so you’re not cramming PowerPoints in the library at 5am. Would be a 10 without quite so many 9am starts. 9/10-Ryan, 2nd Year Neuroscience

This module provides an overview of all the key physical and inorganic chemistry concepts that you need to be a biochemist, with some overlaps into physics. The module starts with a brief look at inorganic chemistry and quantum mechanics, before moving on to all of the organic chemistry principles needed to prepare students for the carbon and the chemistry of life module they will start later in the year. The rest of the course focuses on physical chemistry, with modules on thermodynamics and kinetics. Initially there is a lot of overlap with A-level content but the lectures do get progressively more difficult and branch into content not previously covered. This module also includes workshops as well as lectures, a chance to answer questions about the lecture content and check how well you understand everything.This was my least favourite module of the year, just because I have never enjoyed physical chemistry much and this makes up the majority of the module. The lecturers are great and make the content as interesting as possible, but I often found lectures quite dull as I already knew a lot of the content from A-level, or I would find myself lost when we moved on to new content and the difficulty suddenly increased. The workshops were more interesting and a nice break from the passive style of lectures, but I found a lot of the questions quite hard and struggled to answer questions in advance. I'd recommend that everyone taking this module doesn't underestimate it - just because a lot of it is A-level content, doesn't mean you should make it your lowest priority in revision like I did! If you revise this module regularly and make sure you fully understand the workshop questions, you will be fine! 6/10-Maddy, 2nd Year Biochemistry

Chemistry for Biological Science is a module only required by any Life Science students who did not do Chemistry A-Level. Its primary purpose is to cover all the chemistry topics that will be needed for your Life Science degree, and catch the students up on the knowledge required. It is split by topic, into 7-8 chapters with a lecture and workshop for each. In the lectures, the lecturer goes through the theories and concepts of the topic explaining them in as much detail as needed for the exam, and the workshop focuses on working through practice problems and asking any questions. A variety of topics are covered in the module, ranging from atomic structure, to more complex areas like organic chemistry and stereoisomers. There are two module examinations, one open book and one closed book. Since this module is only for specific students to take, it does not carry any CAT value, and is only graded on a pass-fail basis. Personally, I found this module helpful with my understanding of topics in other modules, as it helped with my understanding of any biological processes or structures that involved chemistry topics, such as concepts covered in molecular biology. Since the module is split into 7-8 chapters, each lecture can be quite content heavy, with a large number of complex concepts covered in a short period of time, which can be difficult to process and understand, so I would recommend consolidating the chapter content as you have the lectures and workshops. So far, many topics covered in the module have been useful, but I also found some topics to be unnecessary as they were not used in my other first year modules. 7/10-Anouk, 2nd Year Biomedical Sciences

Infection biology and microbiology has 28 lectures and covers 4 main sections: (1) Microbiology, (2) Immunology, (3) Virology and (4) Epidemiology(1) It looks at infectious agents and the diseases they can cause in humans and other cellular life forms (eg. livestock) as well as the impact that this can have on human activity. (2) I really enjoyed that the lectures were organised like this as it helped me to separate/structure my revision later in the year. My favourite section was definitely immunology (delivered by Dr Sophie Martucci 🎊). It explores immune system responses to pathogens and the ability of the adaptive immune system to recognise huge numbers of antigens. I also love Sophie's teaching - she does a mini quiz halfway through lectures which breaks them up and helps to maintain focus :)(3) I didn't like the virology section as much - some lectures felt rushed and the slides weren't super detailed (some only had a diagram) so they were harder to make notes from later in the year (but lecture captures helped). (4) The hardest part was probably getting familiar with the higher level terminology used (they sort of chuck you in the deep end) so I would advise making a glossary of "new words" that you'll be able to refer to whenever you need. To study for this module I would absolutely recommend using flashcards. Understanding the content requires a fair amount of simple factual recall and I would say the fastest way to get this down is always repeated flashcards. The exam tests mostly on basic factual recall and some applied knowledge so for the most part, flashcards are the way to go. I would definitely recommend this module!! The pacing is very consistent throughout the term and I really loved the content :). 9/10-Ada, 2nd Year Biomedical Sciences

PNCS is probably the broadest 15 CAT module, covering neuroscience techniques to processing of sensory information. For the content, the modules broadness means that many topics are covered and it is a brilliant introduction to this side of biology, I found it very interesting throughout! The physiology lectures link well with CMB, giving extra context to pathways covered in term 2/3, while the other topics expand into new concepts not covered in school. There are lots of pathways to remember so I recommend keeping on top of them as you go, but the lecturers are all helpful and will be willing to help you if you have any questions. In terms of the exam, there were multiple choice and short answer questions covering the whole module, in the summer term. It is a fairly hard exam but it is still very interesting and by keeping on top of your work it very doable! Personally, I found the lectures covering the Homunculus and the ways the brain processes sensory/motor information most interesting and, if you have the choice to do it as an optional module, think it is well worth doing if you are curious about this side of biology. There is a lot of content to keep on top of and the exam is difficult, but it’s lectures more than make up for it by coving some super interesting topics! 7/10-Ella, 2nd Year Biomedical Sciences

Cellular and Molecular Biology was a broad module covering a variety of topics, including: the Central Dogma, metabolism, eukaryotic and prokaryotic genetics and the cell, these were delivered by multiple lecturers over the course of all three terms.I enjoyed the sections that went into detail on transcription and translation in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. This is because was very interested in seeing how the process differed, such as with what enzymes are involved, which is a level of detail which I wasn't even close to learning at A-Level.I particularly liked Robert Spooner's lectures here as he included many diagrams and animations that helped cut through the complexity of the topic. I also enjoyed the cell section as I felt it covered quite a wide variety of topics, ranging from the biochemistry of membrane lipids to cell death. I did find this section quite difficult when revising for exams but did find that both Katrine Wallis's and Beatriz Lagunas's lecture slides had a good amount of information and diagrams that aided with understanding.I found that both exams had a good balance between multiple choice and short answer questions, as well as those questions varying well in difficulty. I also appreciated the difference in format with the inclusion of 'drag and drop' and fill in the blank style questions too.Overall, I found this module to be very interesting and despite it being the largest module, it didn't feel repetitive or stagnant. I felt that, going into second year, this module has provided a good foundation for important biological principles which can be applied in many other modules, and has given me a foundational understanding of topics like genetics, metabolism and understanding of vital biological molecules like proteins. 7.5/10-Sophie, 2nd Year Biomedical Sciences

Health and community is one of the optional modules that you can take during your first year of university. It is set up in four parts led by different lecturers: antibiotics and superbugs, emerging infectious diseases, epidemiology and bioterrorism/ aging.They are all relatively interconnected with one another and integrate in a way that makes it easier to follow and connect the dots together. Each part has several lectures and what’s great about this module is the importance of cause and effect. This is both great to help with revision but it comprises a big part of the end of module assessment; a 50% essay. This may be on one part of the module, but you can take your knowledge from other parts of the module to strengthen your arguments and helps with all other sorts of academic writing. I really enjoyed this module, primarily because it encompasses a lot of human biology and modern public health challenges which are both relevant and related to our own lives. It was also useful to take what was learnt and to form a narrative of a particular aspect within the essay writing portion of the exam. It gives you real insight into the more practical aspect of biological sciences with the public safety and communication, which many of you may be interested in taking further. The pacing of the module felt very natural and it involves topics that strike conversation and discussion which helps to explain and provide deeper understanding with the topics. The most important aspect is understanding the concepts behind the big picture and then zooming in and adding details when revising for the exam. Giving yourself a bulk set of facts to accompany the points you make will give you so much clarity when revising for the essay writing for this module. A lot of biology looks into the intricacies of human life, but this one ties it in with real life applications in public health challenges- if this sounds interesting to you, I definitely think you should pick this module!! 9/10-Avneet, 2nd Year Biomedical Sciences

Computational Biology was a fantastic module and a great way to get a peak behind the curtain on how some of the computational tools work and how they are being used. This module starts broad with giving an understanding of biological scale and the principles behind databases and searching. It then delves into the specifics of diverse regions of the field. We look at phylogenetics, structural biology and a host of -omics fields. Finally, we finish with an overview of system approaches and a brief review of programming. The in-module assessment is the most engaging part of the module where, after being exposure to the databases and tools, you get to apply your knowledge. Randomly allocated with a given nucleotide sequence, you get to research as much as you can, using the computational tools at your disposal to comprise a brief report of where this sequence has evolved from and what it most likely is used for. It is a very interesting and diverse project that can take many avenues to apply skills and troubleshoot issues. Additionally, this project and module takes place in term 1 which means achieving a high mark will easily alleviate pressure when it comes to the exam. Personally I had great success in this project and found it easy to get high marks meaning that by the time the exam rolled around, passing meant I would receive a first.At some points, the module can feel a tad dull and lectures were difficult to fully engage with. However, it’s key to note that the quantitative tools reviewed in this module are commonplace for any type of research today so understanding them, even at a surface level, can only enhance progression towards a career in biology. 8/10-Sophie, 3rd Year Biological Sciences

In my personal experience, this module was the hardest of my first year due to the breadth of knowledge you must pick up quickly to apply to whatever might be thrown at you. As the name suggests, this module is split into 2 parts, each with their own challenges. (1) Zoology: this portion is the hardest and spans 14 highly challenging lectures that are very hard to grasp with their quick, seemingly sporadic delivery. Starting at an understanding of phylogenetics, it quickly delves into the beginnings of life from early metazoans and quickly moves through time, delivery the mechanistic understanding, major evolutionary events, critical genes and most of the all the broad phylogenetic groupings throughout history (with challenging and non-intuitive naming). We move through phylogenetics, collecting and building up the blocks of how sponges, molluscs, arthropods insects, vertebrates, fish, amphibia, reptiles, birds, mammals and eventually humans and so much more came to be, how they work, how they differ. The knowledge required to give you your best chance at the knowledge is more than what can be grasped in only the lectures and high amounts of googling and time are required to do your best. Point to note: when you get to reviewing the building blocks of the jaw, listen in and listen hard. (2) Plant Science: here we shift gears and the module is easier to grasp but still not to underestimate as it still accounts for 50% of this module. We start with delving into the the major events that assisted in the evolution of plants and how different plants are crucially distinct. Then it moves into the anatomy of plants in their development, both vegetative and reproductive. Additionally, we look at the state of historical, current and future study, research and application of plant technology. The best way to achieve a high mark is to throw yourself deep into this module and more than likely, further research is needed to give you the best understanding. At it’s core the content gives you great context to the functional and structural building blocks of all organisms and gives you lots of ‘fun’ facts. 5/10-Liam, 3rd Year Biological Sciences

Anatomy and Histology is a module that covers topics such as identifying different parts of human tissue using the microscope and explaining the relationship between structure and function of human organs. After the module ends, students can attend labs where they can perform a mouse dissection and examine a wide variety of rat tissues. The module starts in term 2 with Robert Spooner and Ian Edwards covering organ systems such as the lungs, liver, kidney, pancreas, reproductive organs and the heart along with other parts of the human body (for example, different types of muscles, the CNS and PNS, and bone). Each lecture consists of 4-5 sections: anatomy and function of the organ, molecular processes occurring in the system, identifying key parts in histology slides, diseases of the organ and how it affects its histology. I enjoyed Anatomy and Histology because it gave an overview to the human body and introduced me to histology which I found interesting. I also appreciated how the lecturers were patient when explaining the histology sections that I didn’t understand. However, there were a few sections that I felt weren’t covered well enough in depth as much as other topics, meaning I had to spend some extra time researching to gain a good level of understanding (E.g. doing further reading and research to understand blood supply to the pancreas). Furthermore, more signposting on lecture slides would have been appreciated. Despite this, the lecturers were amazing in digesting complicated information to simpler terms. Another aspect of this module which I enjoyed was completing the portfolio, as it allowed me to consolidate my knowledge throughout the term, making studying for the summer exam easier. It also let me have more time to study for other modules during Easter break. The portfolio was relatively easy to complete, as the lecturers provided us with resources to use during the making of our portfolio. However, there are many lectures to go through and it is hard to stay consistent with making progress on the portfolio because of the heavy workload for 1st years during term 2 ( E.g. January exams, dry labs, wet labs, lab reports), which means that many people end up completing their portfolio over Easter break and as a result neglected studying for other modules. 8/10-Keegan, 2nd Year Biomedical Sciences

This module provides a comprehensive and broad review of environmental biology. The lectures cover many different areas of environmental biology from ecology, environmental microbiology, and biogeochemical cycling to sustainable agriculture, food sustainability, and environmental economics. The module provides an insight into both the role biology plays in the environment as well as the techniques biologists use to help mitigate major environmental problems such as biodiversity loss and climate change. Across the lectures, multiple case studies are used to help visualise and exemplify the scientific concepts that are covered. This module also provides an introduction to the use of statistics in environmental biology and students are given the chance to use R studio to see how these stats tests work for themselves. Some of the statistics covered include T-tests, ANOVA and normality distributions. This provides a useful ‘head-start’ to some of the bioinformatic techniques and programmes that will be used across all years of undergraduate life sciences degrees. The lecturers across the module specialise across a wide range of areas such as entomology, ecology, microbiology, environmental science, and genetics. Having multiple lecturers that are experts in their respective fields meant that each topic was taught in sufficient depth, making the more difficult concepts easier to understand. All lecturers were happy to respond to any questions related to the module over email or in-person. 100% of the module grade is based on a 1-hour end of year exam on the lecture content. Overall, the module provides an interdisciplinary understanding of environmental biology and a good foundation to the area for anyone considering taking ecology or environmental science modules in years 2 and 3.-Iris, 3rd Year Biological Sciences

The Carbon and the Chemistry of Life module is run by the Chemistry department for both chemistry and biochemistry students. It is split into three parts, each taught by a different lecturer. The first section covers the basics of organic chemistry, the second, carbonyls, enols and enolate functional groups and the third section looks at alkenes, alkynes and aromatics. This was an extremely well organised module with regular workshops to cover the more problem-solving aspects of the lectures. During lectures, the slides were annotated to show curly arrows and structures which allowed for better understanding of the mechanisms. While there are a lot of reactions to cover, it is done so in a way where it is not about memorising all the curly arrows but understanding the reasons behind each step so it can be applied to unknown mechanisms. It is important to note that this is the only module in biochemistry which is completed on a physical exam paper and so has a slightly different structure to other exams in life sciences. The lecturers were very approachable, happy to answer any questions and provided great resources such as book recommendations, tutorial worksheets and past papers to help with revision. It was a very interesting module and is extremely important to the understanding of future biochemistry content. Overall, this was the best run module of first year and was without a doubt my favourite so I would score it a 9/10.-Leilani, 3rd Year Biochemistry